One of the core attorneys in former President Donald Trump's now disbanded legal team for his second impeachment trial had a history of using racial stereotypes to remove Black citizens from serving on juries.
The attorney in question, Greg Harris of South Carolina, was one of four leading attorneys who were part of Trump's second impeachment legal team. The team of attorneys abruptly quit Saturday with just over a week to go before the trial.
Harris—who confirmed his hiring to the Associated Press this past Thursday—had given racial stereotypes as reasoning to remove one juror going so far as to say they "shucked and jived" as they walked. A telling fit for a President who has called White supremacists "fine people" and shouted out to the Proud Boys, a known hate group, during the recent Presidential debates.
In 1989, when Harris served as an assistant solicitor for the 5th Judicial Circuit Solicitor's Office, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled Harris used racist stereotypes against two Black jurors in a DUI case.
The attorney for the defendant in the DUI case, Phillip Mace, told HuffPost through the two trials 9 out of 10 strikes used by Harris were against potential jurors who were Black.
Mace recalled Harris response to him. He said:
"When I challenged him on it, Greg said he didn't have a racist or [discriminatory] bone in his body. I remember that."
In this case Harris struck one Black man from the jury pool because he said he walked slow, talked low, and was older. When striking another potential juror in the same case Harris told the trial judge it was because the man was unemployed, disinterested and "shucked and jived".
Harris stated:
"I watched him as he walked from the jury panel to the microphone and I have noted that he ― he shucked and jived is what I had. That's just my analysis of the way he walked up here."
After the trial court failed to substantiate the claim Harris displayed a pattern of racial bias the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled on the case calling Harris' use of racial stereotypes "troublesome."
The South Carolina Supreme Court said in the ruling:
"The trial court failed to inquire into or comment on the prosecutor's explanation that the juror was struck because he 'shucked and jived.' The use of this racial stereotype is evidence of the prosecutor's subjective intent to discriminate."
Mace applauded the Supreme Court's decision saying it started a "sea change" in a state with a history of violent racism.
Twitter users were unsurprised at Trump's choice of Harris for his legal team.
Why do you think Trump hired him?
— Richard (@Richard75155048) January 29, 2021
Wow, even racist Greg harris?
— Commissioner (@Commissioner80) January 31, 2021
One of the SC lawyers departing(?) from Trump's legal team is Greg Harris, a man who once tried to have a Black juror removed because he "shucked and jived" when walking.
Virtually everything about Trump's role in US politics can be explained in terms of anti-black racism. pic.twitter.com/L3Qo5flzEy
— Savannah (@leftytgirl) January 31, 2021
Apparently Mr. Harris is under the delusion that he's living in 1950's America...
— MiSt526 "Cogito, ergo sum" (@Mi_St526) January 30, 2021
Are we surprised that Trump surrounds himself with like-minded individuals? It's safe to assume by now if you're working with or for Trump you're probably a criminal and/or you don't have a moral bone in your body.
— † 🔥•𝓔ᴠɪʟ ʟɪʙᴇʀᴀʟ•🔥 † (@BadVibesForSale) January 29, 2021
Turn over enough rocks and creepy things will invariably crawl out. Trump has that working for him.
— Dr. Joe (@headcoach4life) January 31, 2021
Greg Harris had not responded to inquiries for comment as of this writing.
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